We are just days away from August, one of the busiest summer months. Many people will be jetting off and leaving their gardens unattended or in the hands of others. Whether you are heading on holiday or staying at home in the UK, there is one key job that gardeners have been urged to carry out during August.
High temperatures can be extremely damaging to plants, causing heat stress, which can then lead to reduced yields, even cellular damage, and, in worst-case scenarios, plant death. Therefore, the Royal Horticultural Society has highlighted this crucial task when sharing important gardening jobs to do in August.
RHS said: “August is usually one of the hottest months of the year, making watering essential. Try to use grey water wherever possible, especially as water butts may be running low if it has been a dry summer.
“August is traditionally holiday time, so you might need to enlist the help of friends and family to look after your garden while you are away.”
Watering is the key to plant health during milder conditions as well. However, in high heat, plants tend to lose more water through evaporation which is why the task is extremely important throughout the hottest periods of summer.
It is recommended that gardeners water their plants in the morning when the sun comes up and plants still need water. The charity also explained that the foliage and soil surface are more likely to stay drier for longer than evening watering, which will discourage slugs, snails, and mildew diseases.
When it comes to deciding how often you should water your plants, RHS explains that “there is no simple rule of thumb”.
However, there are factors that can help determine how often you should, including size, species and stage of growth of the plant, texture, structure and compaction of the soil, whether the plant is growing in a border or container, and of course the season and weather.
They added: “Watering will need to be more frequent during prolonged dry spells with no decent rain (light showers are of little use to plants as the water simply evaporates or only wets the very surface of the soil where there are few roots).”
You can easily test to check if your plants need more frequent watering by pushing you finger down into the compost or soil to at least knuckle depth to check if it is damp.